Washington, who will play wide receiver in college, explains his July 7 oral commitment to the Bearcats in his latest Plain Dealer recruiting blog.
View full sizeMaple Heights football standout Shaq Washington felt at home at the University of Cincinnati and gave an oral commitment to the football program in early July.Editor's note: Follow the college football recruiting process through the experiences of Shaq Washington, Maple Heights' senior quarterback who has been recruited by colleges across the country as a wide receiver/athlete. Washington, The Plain Dealer's 2009 Offensive Player of the Year, is taking readers inside the process all year long in his online blog.
MAPLE HEIGHTS, Ohio - July 7 was the day I announced my college decision to stay in the Buckeye state but be a Cincinnati Bearcat.
University of Cincinnati was one of the first schools to ever contact me and every time I went to the school I got more comfortable with the program. When I went to camp on June 16 during the Raw Talent bus tour, coach Butch Jones walked up to me and said welcome home!
That's exactly how it felt the whole time I was there with every coach communicating with me. It was just so much love there for me and I ultimately came to the decision that UC will really be home for the next four years.
Also, it is a program on the upswing but still proven with its two BCS Bowl Game appearances and two Big East championships in the past two seasons.
There is also a great opportunity for me to play early in the system, which is a spread offense in which I could really excel in. The coaching scheme for my position (slot receiver) seems perfect for me.